Ontario • Canada

Story

To continue to dance I have had to overcome my diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes. I was diagnosed when was 11 years old. The week before my last competition of the season I was not feeling 100%, I was losing a lot of weight but I had a huge appetite, and I was going to the washroom every 30 minutes it seemed. Then at the dance competition my friends and a few of the parents had noticed I was not myself, I wasn't dancing like they knew I could. My mom and teachers were extremely worried but nothing was going to stop me from finishing the competition. Afterwards my mom took me to the hospital. After many tests a doctor diagnosed me with type 1 diabetes. There were so many emotions going through my mind but my very first question was "When can I go back to dance?" I was in the hospital for 10 days and was able to return to dance 2 weeks after I got home. Currently I am 15 years old dancing and living everyday to the fullest with type 1 diabetes. It has most definitely been a huge obstacle that I would have not been able to face if it weren't for the love and support from my friends and family. Although being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes has been a major turning point in my life, it has not stopped me from doing the things I love most, and I don't plan on letting it.